After a period of mild temperatures, a warming trend is forecast through October 8, with daytime highs expected to reach the 80s across key California growing regions, including Salinas/Watsonville, Oxnard, and Santa Maria. The prolonged heat is expected to accelerate fruit maturity and increase quality concerns, including overripening, bruising, and misshapen fruit, which may impact pack-outs, shelf life, and overall fruit quality moving into the following week.
Supplies
- Volume will fall due to sun and heat damage
- Additional production impacts are possible over the next several weeks as plants recover from the heat
Quality
- Direct sun damage is resulting in increased culling at the field level
- Softer fruit and more bruising are anticipated over the next 7 to 10 days
- Receivers should expect more softness and berry-on-berry bruising than normal upon arrival
- Growers are aggressively sorting fruit and rapidly cooling product to maintain the highest possible quality standards
- Maintaining the cold chain will be vital for shelf life; Markon recommends ordering for quick turns
Outlook
- Supplies will be tight in the short term as growers manage heat-related quality issues and reduced field production
- Quality concerns are expected to persist over the next week, with softness and bruising being the primary challenges
- Expect elevated prices over the next two to three weeks
Please contact your Markon Account Manager for more information.
©2026 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.